It was so much fun being BRAPA’s taxi the other week that I’m going to do it again this Saturday. Come along to Comberton and cheer us on (actually, that’ll be local taxi firms demonstrating against me nicking their business).
Pub No.5 for Si was the Mermaid (he was saving the sixth for Peterborough, with no doubt disastrous consequences).
Now the highlight of following BRAPA should be the deterioration in his faculties after 5 pints, of course, but my scientific research shows a commendable level of resilience to the demon drink (compared to me).
Look how cheerful he is at Pub No.5.
In fact, it’s me who’s been bewildered, getting my Mermaids mixed up with my Dolphins.
Not only did I just tell Roger Protz we’d be kicking off at the Dolphin on our St Albans pub crawl (there isn’t one, it’s a swimming pool), I told Mark I’d be writing about The Dolphin today.
Easy mistake to make as they come from the same family of sea creatures.
This was my first trip to the Mermaid since 1996, and possibly my last. Back then it was a simple village pub with Draught Bass and Old Boys, even at lunchtime.
Now, you get virtually all tables reserved for diners on the tasting menu, a little solitaire monstrosity on the table, licking dogs and barely a sound. Just a couple whispering.
Did I mention the tasting menu ?
Our table was sticky, the home-brew from down the road hilariously undrinkable and did I mention the dogs ? I’ll let Simon tell you.
The highlight was when Si went to the wrong loo. It’s his trademark.
Ellington is a pretty village currently home to the world’s biggest collection of portaloos, in situ to serve the needs of workers constructing the new A14 (marked by red dashes below).
By common consensus in our household the Huntingdon bypass will be the best thing to happen to this country since the invention of Pad Thai in 1988.
But it’s going to be another couple of years before the shiny new dual carriageway knocks 15 minutes off our journeys north.
I dumped Si at Huntingdon station and joined the 30mph crawl home.
retiredmartin 
Mermaids and Dolphins? Confused? Have a listen to Grow Fins, by the incomparable Captain Beefheart.
That’ll straighten things out.
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Now I know your Proper Days Out may involve a reasonable amount of drinking, but starting off by draining a swimming pool?? Now that’s impressive (are they filling it with Bass for you?).
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Confusing mermaids and dolphins is easily done. And even if the Dolphin is a swimming pool it’s still got to be ticked. After all it’s only a matter of time before someone brews s Chlorine IPA.
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Yum. Actually, St.Albans copying Indy Manc Beer Fest which uses Victorian pools. Beer dispensed via shower heads.
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As long as it isn’t by bidet.
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Yes, shower heads are similar to tight sparklers – and the plug hole can easily be connected to an Autovac.
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So what was the food like?
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Not worth more than £85.
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I always thought bidet was the 4th of June?
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Now I’m no arbiter of what defines a pub, but I’m pretty sure a proper one isn’t offering anything at £95 for 2 people.
Love that photo of Simon. If I had 5 pints I’d probably be flat on my back!
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Mind you, it depends how much food you get ;-o
Simon has the most impressive capacity for beer in anyone I’ve ever met apart from Mrs RM and Stafford Paul.
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Mark,
No, my wife and I have stayed in proper pubs at £95 for a double room.
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That took me a while, Paul.
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“Face of a champion”
True. But, why wear a camouflage shirt and then camouflage the camouflage? 🙂
“getting my Mermaids mixed up with my Dolphins.”
Maybe you were thinking of Poole in Dorset (nicknamed the Dolphins) owing to the fact Si is currently blogging about Dorset? 😉
“Easy mistake to make as they come from the same family of sea creatures.”
Both mammals but I’m sure I could pick the mermaid out of a line-up. 🙂
“Taste of Terror well-named”
What the bloody hell is that wooly thing to the right of the fireplace?
“Did I mention the tasting menu ?”
Good lord!
“The highlight was when Si went to the wrong loo. It’s his trademark.”
No doubt he went to do his usual. That’s his trademark as well. 😉
Cheers
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Could you pick the mermaid out of an identity parade after 5 pints though, Russ ?
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Absolutely!
Of course, at that point it would have to be a kind of Braille check rather than by eyesight. 😉
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